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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24846427">Rare Book Collectors</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirrored_Illusions/pseuds/Mirrored_Illusions'>Mirrored_Illusions</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>100 Fandoms [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Rimfrost - Trude Brænne Larssen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crossover, Don't Add To Another Site, First Meetings, Gen, Not Beta Read</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:33:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,333</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24846427</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirrored_Illusions/pseuds/Mirrored_Illusions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In the search for information about the Monster of the Week, Giles meets a woman in a jazz bar in Los Angeles.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>100 Fandoms [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1441267</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>A Ficathon Goes Into A Bar</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rare Book Collectors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for the Spring 2020 round of Intoabar on Dreamwidth. Not Beta read. </p><p>Disclaimer: the Buffyverse belongs to Joss Whedon and Rimfrost belongs to Trude Brænne Larssen.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rupert Giles was sitting in a dive bar on the outskirts of Los Angeles. A few days earlier his Slayer, Buffy Summers, had a most concerning Prophetic Dream. As he always did, he consulted his extensive collection of books on vampires, demons, and many other evil creatures, but he had been unable to find the creature she had described. Buffy's best friend, Willow Rosenberg, had consulted the internet in the hopes of finding a lead but had been just as unsuccessful as he.</p><p>A telephone call to the Watcher's Council's Headquarters in London had not yielded any satisfactory solutions either. Which had then lead him to call in several favors from an assortment of colorful characters he had met over the years both in his capacity as a Watcher and in his more troubled youth in hopes one of them could be of service. This was why he was currently in a jazz bar in Los Angeles rather than in Sunnydale where he was supposed to be.</p><p>The bar was comfortably worn and well-loved with small booths with room for up to four people. A few tables with chairs were scattered around the floor space, and a row of bar stools was up by the bar itself. There was a low stage on the left where a tall, black man was playing the saxophone while an older gentleman was playing the piano off to the side. On the opposite side was another man playing the bass, and in between were an additional two men.  </p><p>The music was soothing and just loud enough so the patrons in there could have a private conversation without being overheard. About half of the tables were occupied with people either eating, conversing in low voices, or simply enjoying the live music. Under other circumstances, he would've been in the latter group, but at present, he was waiting for the acquaintance of an acquaintance who was supposed to have a book with the relevant information he needed to get to his Slayer.</p><p>Upon the stage, the band was nearly through their fourth piece since his arrival when the door opened and a young woman entered. She was tall and slender with a natural tan and very long, snow-white hair attractively contrasting each other. Years of listening to Buffy prattle on an on about make-up, fashion, and how to dye your hair caused him to direct his focus on her hairline to see if dark roots were showing. There wasn't, and he mentally sighed as he realized how the girl had affected his perception of people.</p><p>Even from a distance, she was stunning. Her eyes roamed slowly over the room and all its inhabitants until they landed on him and then she nodded a greeting before walking over with a confident stride.</p><p>Rupert frowned slightly. His acquaintance hadn't given a time for when the person he was sending would arrive, but he'd been vaguely implying it would be a man. The person making their way toward him was a woman based on her curves. She was wearing a long dress with a fitted bodice and a loose skirt in shades of blue and earth tones. As she came closer he noticed her hair was braided in three thin braids on each side of her face and she wore no visible jewelry.</p><p>The woman had a small, dark brown leather backpack she took off as she neared his booth. She carried the backpack in one hand for the last few steps.</p><p>"Greetings, Dr. Giles. I was sent by Mr. Swyler, who implied you would like to pursue one of the rare books in my collection."</p><p>"Greetings, miss ...?"</p><p>She gave a small smile at his obvious attempt to gain her name. "Dr. Kvitrev." The woman spoke fluent English but with a vaguely unfamiliar Scandinavian accent. It wasn't quite how he remembered it, but it was close. </p><p>"Greetings, Dr. Kvitrev." Rupert gave her a brief smile while going through his mental catalog of experts in vampires and demonology from that area. The name was vaguely familiar but he was unable to connect it to anything.</p><p>"Mr. Swyler told me you required this specific book to help someone. May I presume this someone is the current Slayer?" The last sentence was said in a much lower tone than the first half as she was aptly watching him for any reaction. He knew he'd failed to hide his shock and thereby confirming her suspicion when she made a simple nod and redirected her attention to the backpack. The next few moments were spent in silence as she retrieved a small book from the receptacle.</p><p>It was wrapped in a soft cloth. She placed it on the table before she carefully unwrapped it, revealing an old and well-worn book. Even a casual perusal of it from across the table told him it had been treated with care and respect. She gently turned it towards him by only touching the cloth before carefully pushing it toward him.  </p><p>When it was sideways he was able to see the spine and his eyes widened behind his glasses. The work she had brought was one that was commonly known to no longer exist. Only seven copies had been made and there was documented evidence proving all of them had been destroyed at various points in time. The last one had been reported to have been one of the many casualties in a housefire back in 1805.</p><p>"Is this ...?" He asked, unable to even utter the name of the rare book.</p><p>She smiled lightly, "It is. Such a rare and valuable book will always be sought after if it is known to exist, as such lies were told and the safety of the book was ensured." Grey eyes looked directly into his own before the young woman continued. "I am only allowing you to read this book to keep the Slayer alive. Do not misuse this trust."</p><p>Quickly promising to keep his silence he was permitted to skim the book for information about the creature Buffy had seen in her Dream. While the book was small, it was old and needed to be treated gently. It meant he had to turn the pages slowly and carefully. It didn't take long for him to become immersed in the pages.</p><p>When he emerged from the book, he found his companion silently enjoying the live band. Her body appeared relaxed and comfortable, but as soon as he lifted his head she turned to gauge his progress. Beside him was a notebook full of his almost illegible handwriting and several semi-proficient drawings of the demons he'd copied from the precious book he thought his Slayer might've seen in her Dream.</p><p>"Did you find what you were looking for?"</p><p>"I believe so, thank you. This has been most illuminating." Dr. Kvitrev gave him another small smile as he pushed the small book back across the table. He would've loved to have spent a few weeks studying and researching this particular work, but he would not tempt faith by asking for permission to borrow it. Her continued occupancy of the opposide bench making it clear she would not allow the book to leave her presence.</p><p>The strange woman carefully wrapped the cloth around the book again before placing it back inside the backpack. Holding it in one hand, she rose gracefully. "Give my best to the Slayer and wish her luck with her coming battles."</p><p>"I will, thank you."</p><p>Dr. Kvitrev said her farewell's and left as confidently and calmly as she had arrived. Rupert watched her progress toward the exit as she opened the door and left through it. When she was gone, he re-read everything he'd written down. He added a few things from memory then placed the notebook back in his briefcase and left.</p><p>He had the information he needed, and now he had to inform Buffy of whom she was up against. Mysterious collectors of old books had to wait for another day.  </p>
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